# sharp

Pronunciation: US say "SHARP" /ʃɑɹp/; UK say "SHAHP" /ʃɑːp/

## Adjective

1. Having a fine edge or point capable of cutting or piercing easily; not dull or rounded.
   - Simple: Having a thin edge or fine point that can cut or pierce easily.
   - _The chef kept his knives sharp enough to slice paper._
   - _Hikers warned each other about the sharp rocks along the trail._
2. Sudden, abrupt, and intense; occurring or changing rapidly.
   - Simple: Happening suddenly and quickly.
   - _A sharp drop in temperature caught the hikers off guard._
   - _After the announcement, there was a sharp jump in online orders._
3. Precise, exact, and accurate; finely tuned in judgment or perception.
   - Simple: Exact and precise, with no mistakes.
   - _Her sharp sense of timing made the comedy land perfectly._
   - _The accountant's sharp attention to figures caught the discrepancy._
4. Quick to notice, understand, or respond; intelligent and mentally alert.
   - Simple: Clever and quick to notice or understand things.
   - _The detective stayed sharp even after a long night on the case._
   - _A sharp cashier noticed the fake bill and quietly called her manager._
5. Making a narrow or tight angle, especially an acute angle of under ninety degrees.
   - Simple: Forming a small, tight angle.
   - _The two walls met at a sharp angle in the corner._
   - _The river doubles back on itself at a sharp angle._
6. Marking a strong, clear difference between things; acute.
   - Simple: Making a very clear difference between things.
   - _The report drew a sharp distinction between needs and wants._
   - _A sharp contrast separated the wealthy district from the poorer one._
7. Harshly critical or stern; cutting and severe in tone.
   - Simple: Harsh and unkind in the way someone speaks.
   - _The critic's sharp review left the author shaken._
   - _Her manager sent a sharp note about the missed deadline._
8. Piercing and severe; causing an intense, stabbing pain or sensation.
   - Simple: Strong, sudden, and painful.
   - _Halfway through the race, a sharp pain in her side forced her to slow to a walk._
   - _The sharp cold made her eyes water within seconds._
9. Strong and biting in flavor, with an acidic or acrid edge.
   - Simple: Having a strong, sour taste.
   - _The aged cheddar tasted pleasantly sharp on the tongue._
   - _She added too much lime, giving the drink a sharp bite._
10. Stylish, smart, and attractive in appearance. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Looking stylish and very smart.
   - _She showed up looking sharp in a tailored blazer._
   - _The band wore sharp matching outfits on stage._
12. Steep and precipitous; rising or falling abruptly.
   - Simple: Very steep, like a hill that rises quickly.
   - _The trail ended in a sharp incline that left them breathless._
   - _Drivers slowed at the sharp slope leading down to the river._
16. Raised by one semitone in pitch, shown by the ♯ symbol after the note's name.
   - Simple: Played one small musical step higher than normal.
   - _The piece is written in F sharp major._
   - _The melody climbs from G to G sharp before settling on A._
17. Higher in pitch than the correct or intended note.
   - Simple: A little higher in pitch than the right note.
   - _The flute's high E is a little sharp, so she pulls the headjoint out slightly._
   - _His guitar's high string was noticeably sharp._
20. Clever at gaining an advantage in a way that is dishonest or barely legal, especially in business or money matters. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Clever in a dishonest way, especially to get money or an advantage in business.
   - _Regulators fined the lender for sharp practices that buried high fees in the fine print of its loans._
   - _A sharp trader, he knew exactly when to bend the rules._
22. Eager and keen in pursuit of something, and impatient to have one's desire satisfied.
   - Simple: Very eager for something and not wanting to wait for it.
   - _The cold sea air had given everyone a sharp appetite by noon._
   - _Years out of power had left the party with a sharp appetite for winning._
23. Made up of hard, angular grains; gritty in texture.
   - Simple: Made of hard, rough grains with sharp edges.
   - _Gardeners add sharp sand to heavy soil to improve drainage._
   - _The mortar needs sharp sand rather than the rounded kind._

## Adverb

11. At precisely the stated time; exactly, with no delay.
   - Simple: At an exact time, with no minutes early or late.
   - _The meeting will begin at nine sharp._
   - _Doors open at seven sharp, so don't be late._
19. At a pitch higher than is correct or desirable.
   - Simple: In a way that is a little too high in pitch.
   - _The oboe came in sharp and clashed with the strings._
   - _He tends to sing sharp when he gets nervous._
15. So that a path or movement bends at a tight angle rather than in a gentle curve.
   - Simple: Turning so that the path makes a tight corner, not a gentle curve.
   - _Just past the old mill, the creek turns sharp to the north and disappears into the woods._
   - _The running back cut sharp left and slipped past two defenders._

## Noun

13. An object with a sharp point or cutting edge, such as a needle, syringe, or blade, especially one that must be handled or disposed of safely; usually plural.
   - Simple: Something pointed or sharp-edged, like a needle or blade, that can cut skin. Often used as 'sharps'.
   - _A discarded sharp on the beach can cut an unwary swimmer._
   - _Safety rules require all sharps to be sealed before disposal._
14. A note raised one semitone above its natural pitch, or the sign ♯ that shows this, written before a note or in a key signature.
   - Simple: A musical note made a half step higher, or the symbol ♯ used to show this.
   - _The key signature had two sharps, so she adjusted her fingering._
   - _He penciled a sharp in front of the F to remind himself._
21. A dishonest person who cheats, especially at cards or gambling.
   - Simple: A person who cheats, especially at games or cards.
   - _The riverboat was full of sharps looking for easy targets._
   - _Security cameras finally caught the card sharp hiding extra aces up his sleeve._

## Verb

18. To raise a note's pitch by a half step, turning a natural note into a sharp.
   - Simple: To raise a musical note by a half step.
   - _Composers sometimes sharp a note to add tension to a phrase._
   - _The composer sharped the F in the last bar to give the tune a brighter ending._

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Marked by tactical, risky play with many attacking chances.
- (adjective) Of a mathematical statement or bound, using the most extreme value possible, so that it cannot be improved.
- (adjective) Fierce and passionate in feeling, or forceful and violent in action.
- (adjective) Of a speech sound, made with breath only and no vibration of the vocal cords.
- (adjective) Feeling a strong need for food.
- (adverb) In such a way as to end in a fine tip or keen cutting side.
- (adverb) In a way that pierces or cuts through.
- (adverb) With keenness and eager desire.
- (noun) The key or scale whose home note is a raised note, such as F-sharp.
- (noun) Any small blade, such as a lancet or scalpel, that a surgeon cuts with.
- (noun) A spot in a river or brook where the current races along.
- (noun) A medium-length needle for hand sewing with a very fine point, sharper than the types called blunts and betweens.
- (noun) A milling byproduct made of bits of bran mixed with coarse grains of flour.
- (noun) A person who is highly skilled at something.
- (noun) A member of one of the youth gangs active in Australia from the 1960s into the 1970s, known for their sharp dress.
- (noun) A long, narrow, flat-bottomed sailing boat used for fishing, as in New England.
- (verb) To cheat or use tricks when making a deal.
- (verb) To make keener or more pointed.

## Origin

From Middle English scharp, from Old English sċearp, going back through Proto-Germanic *skarpaz and probably to the Proto-Indo-European root *(s)ker- meaning "to cut." It is related to Dutch scherp and German scharf.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/sharp (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).